Torturing Apollo Justice
by HowObjectionable
Summary: Poor Apollo. All he ever wanted was his attorney's badge. He never bargained on the rest. Basically, my friend and I have very many random conversations, all of which resulted in this. Pairings - Klavier/Apollo and another...more interesting one later on
1. In Which Trucy is Very Devious

**Okay, first ever AJ fanfic. As said in the summary, co-written by my friend and I. Enjoy.**

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**In which Trucy takes advantage of a situation**

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Trucy Wright was headed to no place in particular. It was entirely coincidence that he was there. However, the chain of events that followed would be disastrous…for her brother, at least.

The 'he' in question was none other than the court rival of Apollo Justice - her aforementioned brother - and their mutual friend. Prosecutor Klavier Gavin was none the less glamorous – or 'glimmerous' - for ending his musical career. His motorbike appeared to have broken, yet again, because after checking the exhaust pipe he kicked the shiny metal in frustration.

"Hi Klavier!" Trucy called, approaching.

Klavier looked up. "Fraulein Wright! What a pleasant surprise! How are you?"

"You can call me Trucy. I'm okay. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. My hog won't start, but that's…well. How is Herr Forehead?"

"Ah." Trucy frowned slightly. "He's getting old."

Klavier laughed. "Ah well. It happens to everyone, ja?"

"I suppose…say, Klavier, do you want to come to my show tonight?"

"Your…show? Oh yes, the magic show! Of course, of course, fraulein! It's been too long." Klavier replied, smiling at her.

"Yay!" Trucy grinned. This would work out well. "20 percent off tickets, like that one time, okay?"

"Ja." Klavier replied.

"Daddy will be there. You'll be sitting together! It's been a while, right?"

"Ja." Klavier replied again. "Too long. Will…will Herr Forehead be there?"

Trucy's grin became even more pronounced. "Can't tell. It's a secret."

"Okay." Klavier nodded, and then shot another glare at the bike sitting innocently against the curb.

Trucy frowned. He wasn't going to ask? How annoying. He was supposed to play along.

"Okay, okay!" Trucy sighed with much exaggeration after a few seconds, deciding to go along with her mental script despite Klavier missing his cue. "You can stop pressuring me with your scary prosecutor tactics. I'll tell you!"

"No one's pressuring you, fraulein…" Klavier put in, but Trucy barrelled on.

"So, Polly's agreed to be my lovely assistant!" she said, smiling innocently before waiting for his reaction.

There was a pause. "Your…what?"

Trucy rolled her eyes. Anyone would think this man had never been on stage. "My lovely assistant. He's going to introduce me with his Chords of Steel!"

"That…can't be healthy for him."

"No, probably not." Trucy agreed. "But you know how much Polly enjoys shouting!"

"Ja…but he'll hurt himself…"

"I hope not." Trucy sighed. Okay. Time for phase two, the second part of her plan which had only began to develop in her head a few minutes previously. "That's all I'd need," she added, sighing loudly again. "Another problem…"

"You have a problem, fraulein? Is there anything I can do?"

"No, it's not a real problem. It's just…Polly doesn't exactly know yet…"

"… … … Fraulein Trucy, don't you think it would have been a better idea to ask him before planning out your show?" Klavier asked patiently.

"Yeah, well…I gave his tickets away, and there aren't any left except the one for you…" Trucy sighed, her bottom lip jutting out slightly, making her look very young and sad. This was her 'please-Daddy-they're-not-that-expensive-and-I-really-need-magic-panties' face.

Klavier sighed too. Trucy noticed his facial expression and knew she had to tread carefully if this was to go as planned. "Well…" Klavier suggested. "I could give him my ticket and I'll do the introduction…"

"No!" Trucy cut across him quickly. "No, you can't!"

Klavier raised an eyebrow.

"I mean…" Trucy added quickly. "I've already invited all his school friends, and Daddy really wanted to meet you again…" The pout was more pronounced now, her words more pleading.

"Okay, okay, fraulein, I'll try to convince him." Klavier told her, reaching into his pocket and taking out a red phone.

As he was searching through the phonebook – Apollo was stored under 'F' for Forehead - he missed the tiniest of smirks cross Trucy's face.

* * *

Apollo Justice was frustrated. His latest client, a fourteen year old girl, should have had a solid alibi. Deide Mann's autopsy report stated an estimated time of death at between 10:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. One hour before, the defendant, Geraldine Mann, known to all as Gerri, was dropped off at school by the victim, her stepfather. However, after first period, it appeared that Gerri had decided she'd had enough of school and hadn't been seen by any of the teachers since 9:50am that day. The time it took to walk from the school to their home was less than five minutes.

To top it all off, a school friend had heard Gerri say that she 'could kill' her stepfather due to their seemingly constant stream of arguments. Apollo's objection that this was a common phrase for teenagers to use had not held up in court.

"…don't worry." He finished off, though his voice lacked conviction. "I'll get the truth out there, somehow."

"Thank you, Mr Justice." The girl said, smiling weakly. "I…"

Apollo's phone began to ring exactly at that moment. He checked the caller ID almost automatically. "Do…you mind if I take this call?"

"Oh." She responded, surprised. "Um, yeah, sure."

Apollo knew that, whatever Klavier wanted, it didn't bode well. This is why he took the call with a heavy heart.

"…wouldn't fit you, anyway." He heard a distant girl's voice say.

"I said I'd try, but this won't help your case, fraulein." replied another, much nearer voice. Klavier. There was silence for a minute before Apollo spoke.

"Apollo Justice speaking." He greeted reluctantly.

"Herr Forehead!" Klavier sounded instantly alert. This worried Apollo. "Are you busy?"

"Actually…"

"Good. Listen, I'm with Fraulein Trucy, and…"

"What?" Apollo demanded. "You're with Trucy? Should I be worried?"

Silence.

"Prosecutor Gavin?"

"…nein, nein, nothing to worry about." Klavier finally answered. "The fraulein just wanted to ask a favour of you, Herr Forehead."

"A favour?" Apollo repeated.

"Ja. She'd like you to be her assistant at her show tonight."

That…that was completely unexpected. Her assistant? "…what exactly does that involve?" Apollo asked hesitantly.

"_Ein_ moment, Herr Forehead." Klavier replied. Apollo heard him talking to Trucy, and then he replied. "Nothing too troublesome, just helping out with tricks, introducing her…" Here he muttered something incomprehensible.

"…what was that last bit?" Apollo asked. "I didn't hear you, why are you speaking so quietly?"

"…Faulty connection." Klavier told him. "So, will you do it?"

"I guess I can…" Apollo began, and then stopped. "Wait. Why are you calling me?"

"Because the fraulein asked me to."

"No, I mean, why isn't she talking to me herself?"

"I prefer to use my own phone myself, rather than giving it to someone else."

"And her own phone?"

"Out of battery"

"Home phone?"

"She bumped into me when she was out. Really, Herr Forehead, you aren't in a courtroom."

"…I do feel like I'm cross-examining a witness." Apollo admitted.

"Yes, well, you work too hard, Herr Forehead."

Apollo sighed. Perhaps Klavier was right. "Okay. So, what've I to wear?" After all, a hat would mess up his hair.

"…a dress." Klavier replied passively.

"What? A…DRESS?" Apollo demanded.

"Yay! Chords of Steel!" Trucy's voice was heard faintly in the background.

"Ja. Is that a problem?"

"Yes, it is. Tell Trucy no."

"Aw, come on Herr Forehead! Don't ruin her fun!"

"I said no."

"…come on, it'd look good."

Apollo paused. Did…did Klavier just say what he thought he said? "You think it would look…good?"

"Ja, I do." Klavier replied.

Apollo's face went slightly red, but of course he didn't know this. "Well…" he began hesitantly. "…okay. If…if you really…if you think so."

"Ja."

"Okay. Fine. This once."

"See you tonight."

Apollo put his phone away, frowning. What exactly…

"Um, Mr Justice?" Apollo looked around. The girl, his client, was staring at him.

"Yes?"

"What just happened?"

Apollo considered the question. "Well, actually, I…I have no idea."

**The end! Of chapter one, anyway. What did you think?**


	2. In Which Apollo is Terrified

**Time for the more 'interesting' pairing to play its part. Please note, neither my friend nor myself particularly support this one…at all. This is all in the aid of torturing the hell out of poor Polly. On that note, enjoy!**

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**In Which Apollo is Terrified**

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Only two days ago, Trucy had given one of her most successful shows yet. Apollo was a real crowd pleaser, despite how little he could take compliments. All those people, asking him to call them and wolf-whistling! Sadly, however, all those poor men had been ignored.

Now Trucy was outside, headed to a friend's house, in a brave attempt to catch up with some of the school work she'd been missing recently. This plan was completely forgotten, however, when she saw a familiar face dragging a red motorbike into the mechanic's garage, cursing loudly in German.

"Getting your bike fixed?" Trucy asked, approaching. "What does 'scheisse' mean?"

Klavier looked around. "Ah. Hello, fraulein. Ja, I'm getting it fixed. As for that word…please, don't repeat it. Especially in front of Herr Forehead"

"Why not?"

"I'll get into trouble."

"Why?" Trucy insisted.

"I'll tell you later, ja?"

"Okay!" Apparently content, Trucy moved on to another subject. "So, Klavier, did you enjoy my show?"

"Ja, it was great." Klavier replied.

Trucy grinned. "Thanks! What was your favourite part?"

"I'd have to say…Herr Hat, actually." Klavier told her. "His impressions were amazing."

Not Apollo in a dress then? Oh well. "Polly doesn't like him." Trucy sighed.

"Really? Ah well. To each his own, fraulein."

"Hey, that's what Daddy said! When we were talking, after the show, about Apollo's part, he said 'to each his own'. Then he laughed."

"Perhaps he thought Herr Forehead wore the dress of his own free will?" Klavier suggested.

"He did though." Trucy pointed out. "After you asked him. How come he never listens to me like that?"

"Maybe it's because I'm bigger than him, and I intimidate him more." Klavier guessed, turning to where the mechanic was looking at the bike and warning the poor man to be _extremely_ careful, proving his point in the process.

"Doesn't his hair even out the balance, though?" Trucy asked.

"No, fraulein, I'm still taller." Klavier corrected.

"Really?" Trucy asked dubiously.

"Ja."

"Oh, so I was wrong…"Trucy replied sadly.

"Ja, but it happens to everyone sometimes, fraulein. Don't worry." Klavier said, smiling.

"I suppose it does. So, Daddy was pleased to meet you again, Klavier." Trucy told him, skilfully changing the subject.

"It was interesting to meet him again too."

"He's taking piano lessons recently, but the teacher doesn't seem to like him."

"Piano lessons?" Klavier asked. "Oh. What do you mean, the teacher doesn't like him?"

"Well, apparently he plays 'like a drowning horse with no legs'." Trucy said, frowning. "How rude!"

Klavier laughed, but hastily cut it short. Apparently he'd seen the expression on Trucy's face. "Well, Herr Wright just needs some practise, that's all."

Trucy sighed. "I suppose…" she agreed. Absentmindedly, she sat down on the small wall which surrounded the outside of the garage. "Well, it's not like Daddy ever liked the piano anyway, really. He's going to take the bar exam again, you know."

"That sounds good. I look forward to seeing him in court again. He told me about this on Saturday, during your show. "

Trucy nodded. "Yeah, you and Daddy seemed to be getting along really well."

Klavier nodded. "Ja, we were."

"That's good." Trucy said absently. Her mind was elsewhere. "If Daddy and Apollo were together on a defence team, they'd be unbeatable!"

"Ja, maybe. So long as the defendant was really innocent."

"Yeah, I guess so. But, if Daddy and Apollo were the defence team…that means I'd be left out…"

"Is that what's worrying you, fraulein?" Klavier asked in a voice much gentler than his usual (slightly arrogant) tone, sitting beside her after shooting another half-worried glance in the direction of his bike. He could tell that Trucy was seriously letting herself get upset about this. "But you have school, and magic shows to prepare for as well, ja, fraulein?"

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Plus, Herr Forehead needs you for now. Imagine him trying to do it all by himself!"

"Yeah." Trucy laughed. "Everyone would be found guilty."

"Ever get the feeling you're being talked about?" asked a voice from behind them, sounding slightly exasperated.

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Apollo decided that 'absolutely terrifying' was an almost accurate description of what had just happened to him. Of course it didn't really cover it, not at all. Nothing could really express the complete and utter dread that was filling his body at as he barely escaped the building known as the Wright Anything Agency with his life.

Go and find Trucy. That had been Mr Wright's last request to him before it had all began. Go and find Trucy, and bring her back.

Well, of course, now Apollo wasn't sure what to do. Finding Trucy seemed to be the only option really. It wasn't fair that she didn't know. But did he really want to take her back to that?

Of course, he had to. It wasn't like there were many other choices.

She'd gone to visit a friend, hadn't she? Something about schoolwork. Apollo knew vaguely the direction in which she had headed, but that was all.

It was pure luck that he saw them sitting on the wall outside the mechanic's garage. Not that there were many blond 'glimmerous' Germans to be found sitting next to young female magicians in blue silk around, but still.

They were talking. About him. "Ever get the feeling you're being talked about?" he asked drily, approaching behind them.

They turned simultaneously.

"Hiya Polly!" Trucy greeted him.

"Herr Forehead!" Klavier sounded shocked.

"Prosecutor Gavin. Is it such a surprise?"

"Nein, I guess not." Klavier replied, shrugging. "Were you looking for the fraulein?"

"Yes, I…"

"Weren't you with Daddy, Apollo?" Trucy interrupted.

"Yes, but Thalassa came to visit again and…"

"Mommy was visiting? Again? Is she still there?"

"Yes, she was. I don't know if she's still there. I left. Mr Wright was scaring me."

"Scaring you how?" Klavier asked him, but Apollo didn't reply. Instead he continued talking to Trucy.

"Mr Wright asked me to come and find you. He wants to talk to you about something…" here Apollo trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. A slight shudder ran through him at the thought.

"Ah, I understand now. Really, Herr Forehead, if this is about what I think it is then you're completely overreacting." Klavier told him, rolling his eyes.

"Completely overreacting? I don't think I am, actually!" Apollo replied, his voice rising in pitch. He paused. How did Klavier know…? "What do you mean, about what you think it is?"

"As observed by the fraulein, Herr Wright and I talked a lot while you were on stage in a dress." Klavier replied, shrugging his shoulders again.

"You mean you KNEW?"

"My my, Herr Forehead, no need to shout. You'll scare poor Herr Mechanikir over there."

"I dunno, Klavier." Trucy put in. "I think you've done that enough already…anyway, what are you two talking about?"

"I can't believe you knew and didn't tell me." Apollo muttered darkly.

"Herr Wright wanted to tell you himself."

"I wish he hadn't. Do you want to know what he said?"

"Maybe later. After all, the fraulein doesn't know yet."

"What don't I know?" Trucy demanded.

"I'll tell you, Trucy. Mr Wright will probably scare and completely disturb you if he tries."

It was a mark of Trucy's personality and home life that she just accepted this as a fact, Apollo reflected. "Okay!" Trucy replied. Her face was suddenly worried. "What is it? Has something bad happened to Daddy? Or Mommy?"

"Nein, fraulein. Herr Forehead is overreacting, like I said." Klavier interrupted the young magician's worried questions.

Apollo sighed. How to begin? "Well, you know how you were always on at Mr Wright to find you a new mommy?"

"Yeah. Well not so much now, because obviously we've got our…wait. You don't mean…?"

"Yes, I do." Apollo replied dismally.

"Oh my!" Trucy exclaimed. Her face lit up. At least she seemed happy about all of this. "But that's great! Why are you being so negative, Polly?"

"Exactly, Herr Forehead." Klavier said. Apollo didn't miss the smugness in his voice. "There really isn't a problem with that, especially if it makes your little sister so happy, ja?"

"I suppose. But there are ways to tell someone something." Apollo replied. "'Come give your new Daddy a hug', he says."

"That's right! My Daddy'll be your Daddy too now!" Trucy looked, if possible, even more animated due to this fact.

"…Herr Wright needs to learn of a little something called tact." Klavier sighed.

"Mr Wright needs to learn something called personal space. He just about tackled me to the ground back there."

"Daddy never could restrain himself at hugs." Trucy said thoughtfully.

"There's nothing wrong with hugs, is there, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked.

"No, But there's a limit."

"Oh?"

"For example, using the phrase 'come give your new Daddy a hug' is not allowed." Apollo grumbled.

"Herr Wright is enthusiastic, is all." Klavier replied, shrugging. "And why shouldn't he be? Isn't this a good thing for him? And his daughter, for that matter."

Klavier bringing Trucy into this was clever, Apollo had to admit. But still, he stood by his first reaction. "He's my boss, though."

"So? Bosses aren't allowed to hug their employees?"

"I've only worked for two people. The first wasn't exactly someone huggable." As soon as he said this, Apollo regretted it. He hadn't been thinking.

But Klavier just laughed. "Nein, I suppose not. So Herr Wright is what you would call 'huggable' then?"

"Not really. But that's not the point. The point is that he's my boss…and she's my mother."

"You're being silly, Herr Forehead." Klavier insisted.

It was at that moment Trucy's phone rang. She answered it, listened for a minute, then spoke. "Yeah, he's right here." She handed the phone to her brother. He didn't miss her grin.

"Hello, Mr Wright." Apollo sighed. He listened, and then shook his head. "No, I won't call you Daddy. Or Dad. Or anything of the sort."

Not far away, Phoenix Wright was laughing silently while asking why not.

"I'm twenty two years old, and you're my boss, that's why!" Apollo answered in exasperation. Beside him, Klavier was quite obviously trying his best not to laugh as well. Apollo shot a glare at him, which was completely ignored.

"Fine." Apollo half snapped into the phone in response to Phoenix's next question. "Prosecutor Gavin?"

"Ja?"

"Mr Wright wants to know if you'd like to come to our 'family dinner party' tomorrow night."

"Dinner party? Ja, that sounds like fun." Klavier said, grinning.

"He says yes. Yeah. Okay. Bye." Apollo snapped the phone closed and handed it back to Trucy, who stowed it away before he could cause any further damage.

"Er…Mr Prosecutor Gavin sir?" Klavier turned to see a boy of about sixteen staring at him. "My father says your bike's all fixed up and ready to go..."

"Danke." Klavier said. He disappeared into the garage, emerging a few minutes later with his – apparently repaired – motorcycle.

"Well, I'll be going now!" he said. His enthusiasm over the fact the thing was working again was overwhelming. "Auf Wiedersehen, fraulein, Herr Forehead…"

"'bye, Prosecutor Gavin."

"See you tomorrow, Klavier!"

Klavier paused while putting on his helmet. He approached Apollo. "You know, Herr Forehead, I've been thinking. If you're bringing me home to meet the family, it's about time you dropped the formalities, ja?" he asked, laughing and lightly poking Apollo's forehead. "Call me Klavier in the future. Except in court. Surely that big head of yours can manage that much?"

With that, he jumped on his bike and was gone.

"Home to meet the family? What the heck was that?" Apollo demanded.

"I thought you were supposed to be the perceptive one?" Trucy asked accusingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind, Polly, never mind. Come on, let's go home."

"Fine." Apollo sighed. There was no use pressing her. Save that for the courtroom.

"Polly?"

"What?"

"Let's stop for noodles first, okay?"

Apollo groaned.

**Comments? Suggestions? Reviews are appreciated :)**


	3. In Which Apollo Blushes A Lot

**Extra long chapter for you guys! Again, neither of us supports Phoenix's relationship in this particular story. I've been told to remind you of that. Anyway, thanks to my reviewers! Enjoy!**

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**In Which Apollo Blushes A Lot**

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The roar of the motorbike was heard easily through the open window. Especially when Trucy Wright was sitting at said window, listening as she had been for the last half an hour.

"Polly! He's here! Klavier's here!" she called.

Apollo sighed loudly. "Yeah, okay. You get the door."

Trucy shrugged. "Okay!" she called back. Honestly, she didn't know it was possible for a man to spend so much time in the bathroom on his hair. She stood up and headed towards the door, so quickly that she was standing next to it when Klavier knocked loudly. She opened the door with a flourish. "Hi Klavier! Hi hi! How are you? Apollo's embarrassed that you're here. He's hiding. You look nice. It's a nice day, isn't it?" she greeted enthusiastically.

Klavier blinked. "Eh…ja, it is." He replied uncertainly.

It was at that moment that Apollo came out of the bathroom and down the hall. "Trucy…who let you have sugar?" he demanded.

Trucy didn't look around. "Oh, Klavier gave me some Snackoos that Ema gave him." She replied airily.

"Ema's been giving you presents?" Apollo asked from behind her. Trucy heard the slight tinge of jealousy that went with the question.

Klavier looked up and over her head and opened his mouth, whether to answer or to say something completely different Trucy didn't know. Whatever it was he meant to say, however, he didn't say it. Instead he continued to stare, his mouth hanging open.

Trucy tutted. Honestly. Her brother wasn't all _that_ nice to look at. Funny, maybe, but not oh-my-God nice looking. Of course, that could be to do with the fact she was his sister.

Klavier was still staring. This was worse than usual, Trucy realised. She looked around to see what all the fuss was about.

Trucy stared in shock at the spectacle before her.

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Apollo knew he should have stayed locked in the bathroom. It would have been much healthier for him that way. "What?" he demanded. Trucy and Klavier had both been staring at him for at least five minutes straight now. It was getting a little uncomfortable, if he was perfectly honest.

"Herr Forehead…what happened?" Klavier asked him.

"What do you mean, what happened?"

"Your hair…it looks significantly less dangerous today…"

Oh. That. The truth was, he had tried his best. It wasn't Apollo's fault that someone had used almost all his hair gel playing at 'Dress up as Polly'. Maybe making do wasn't a skill of his…

"Do you like it?" he asked, trying to keep his voice nonchalant.

"Ja. It's just…different, is all."

"Yeah…um…" Apollo replied, feeling suddenly awkward for no apparent reason. He felt his face warm up slightly and hoped no one noticed.

"Daddy'll be in soon!" Trucy told them. "He's arranging dinner for us all!"

"Where is Herr Wright? Work?" Klavier asked.

"No, no. He's at his piano lessons. Mommy left twenty minutes ago to see if he was still alive."

"Ah. So what's he making? I didn't know Herr Wright could cook."

"He can't." Apollo interrupted. "We're having takeout pizza."

"Cheese pizza's my favourite!" Trucy added. "Lots of cheese! I love cheese pizza!"

"Fraulein?"

"Yeah?"

"How many of those Snackoos did you eat?"

"Um…I dunno. A few? Less than Ema usually does anyway." Trucy shrugged.

"Fraulein Detective is used to them. You should pace yourself." Klavier advised.

"Moving on from Ema and Trucy's snacking habits, can we move into the living room? Standing next to the door is making me slightly nervous." Apollo said.

"Nervous? Why's that, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked

"Ah…it's this case. It's making me jumpy." Apollo replied. Although _why _they couldn't discuss this _away _from the door, he didn't know.

"You work too hard, Polly!" Trucy told him, grinning.

"Ja, she's right." Klavier agreed. "Still, what case is this? This one that's making you jumpy?" Apollo didn't answer straight away. He was too busy blushing. Which, of course, was highly embarrassing, and caused him to blush even more.

"It's my latest client." Apollo answered in a voice of slightly forced calm, edging towards the living room as he spoke. "She's only a kid, but she's been accused of murdering her stepfather."

"That's awful!" Trucy exclaimed. Never mind that she knew about it and had been helping him the whole time, Apollo thought dryly.

"Yeah, it is." Apollo agreed. "Still, I'm starting to sympathise with her…even if she did do it."

"Apollo! That's just mean!" Trucy said crossly. So, she's understood his implication then.

"Now, now, Herr Forehead, no need for that." Klavier reproached, despite his wide grin clearly contradicting his words. "Need any help with that case?"

"No." Apollo replied bluntly, in a startling accurate imitation of a sulking toddler.

"Overwork makes people ill, though!" Trucy said. Apollo was about to thank her for her concern when she continued. "If you get ill, we'll lose the best part of our income, and I'll starve."

"Tell your father to get a proper job, then!" Apollo replied, irritated.

"Now, no need for fighting." Klavier told them, grin still evident on his face.

The door went then.

"I'm not answering that." Apollo said quickly.

"What's the matter, Herr Forehead? Scared?" Klavier asked innocently.

"Terrified. Because I know who's there."

Trucy sighed. "It's only Daddy, Apollo."

"My point exactly. You get it, Trucy." Apollo was backing away from the door much quicker now.

Trucy shook her head, and then answered the door. "Hi Daddy! Did you forget your key again? Polly locked the door…"

Phoenix Wright's face broke into a rather amused smirk when he saw Apollo standing not far from him. "Ahh…yeah, sorry Trucy." He replied, giving her a hug.

"Oh, and Daddy, look! Klavier's here! And Polly's done something really weird to his hair!"

'_Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence'. _Apollo thought huffily. He didn't like the look on his boss's face when he looked at him.

"What did you do that for, Apollo? Nice hair. Hi, Klavier." Phoenix said, all at the same time, while simultaneously looking incredibly bored. That had to be a recognisable talent.

"…" Apollo said nothing. Seeing the expectant stare, he muttered something about trying out something new.

"Hi, Herr Wright." Klavier replied, before turning to Trucy and stealing a Snackoo out of the bag she was eating from and telling her that they were bad for her.

"It's rude to mumble, Apollo." Phoenix told him, frowning slightly.

"Ja, Herr Forehead." Klavier added, waving another stolen Snackoo in his direction. "He's right. It is rude."

"It's also rude to invade personal space. Keep back." Apollo warned.

"Herr Wright's giving you plenty of space. " Klavier pointed out.

"I'm just making sure…"

"So, how were lessons, Daddy?" Trucy asked, stuffing the bag of snacks into her pocket just inside her cape and away from a certain greedy prosecutor's sights.

"What? Oh, they went great. The teacher doesn't have to cover his ears so much any more…"

Trucy's expression suddenly turned serious. "Daddy…that's a real achievement!"

Phoenix laughed. "Maybe one day I'll be a real pianist!"

Trucy frowned. "Don't be silly, Daddy. You'll never be that good."

How nice it must be to have a kid, Apollo thought. Not.

Phoenix shrugged. "Ah well. It's good to be able to aspire towards something."

"You mean like Apollo? Like how he aspired to be like you in that first trial?" Trucy asked innocently, while reaching under her cape and pulling out another Snackoo.

"Something like that." Phoenix agreed.

"You'll ruin your appetite, fraulein!" Klavier said lightly. "I never knew that, Herr Forehead. How interesting."

Apollo said nothing. These people…

These people who were insisting on staring at him. He supposed he had to say something. "…I was…I was just doing my job."

"You did very well, so it's all good." Klavier said, suddenly indifferent again.

Apollo wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to hit him. He wasn't sure why, either. Instead, his face, which had just gotten back to normal, was blasted with heat again. How humiliating. "I got the job done. That's all." He replied, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Ah, I'm so proud of you!" Phoenix told him.

"…thanks?" Apollo replied.

"Apollo, that colour of red can't be healthy." Trucy said flippantly.

Klavier approached Apollo, raised his finger and poked his forehead. "You okay, Herr Forehead? Have a temperature?"

"No, I don't. Stop that." Apollo replied.

"I wonder if Apollo's first daddy had a giant forehead too?" Trucy mused.

"What do you mean 'first'? And 'giant'?" Apollo demanded, scowling. He glared accusingly at both Klavier and Phoenix. "See what you two have started?"

Klavier prodded Apollo's forehead again. "An interesting idea, fraulein."

"Quit that!"

"Why?" Klavier asked.

"…you're giving me a complex…"

"Aww. Am I embarrassing you?" Klavier asked, grinning.

Apollo's face, if possible, heated up even more.

"Give him a hug, Klavier!" Trucy said.

Klavier's grin turned into smirk. Before Apollo knew what was happening, Klavier had his arms around him. Before his mind could register this fact, he'd been released.

He thought his face would explode with the high temperature that he felt in it right now.

"He didn't overreact like he did when you hugged him, Daddy." Trucy observed.

Klavier raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain, Herr Forehead?"

"Yeah, he never lets me hug him." Phoenix said. His face was sad, but Apollo wondered what he was really thinking.

No, he didn't want to know.

"Well?" Trucy prompted.

"…_hm. I have no idea. But it wasn't as awkward as it should have been…oh God. What am I thinking? MY MIND." _Apollo wasn't used to having internal conversations, really. But they'd been happening more and more over the last almost a year. They probably weren't too healthy…

They were still staring, expecting an answer. "Eh…I dunno." Apollo replied.

Phoenix snorted. Trucy sighed. Klavier just stood there looking smug. One thing was for certain, though. They didn't believe him. Wonderful.

"Can we talk about something else, now? Maybe move away from the door?" Apollo suggested.

Apparently not. The door opened then, causing Apollo to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Oh dear, Apollo, are you alright?" the woman asked. She moved next to Phoenix, handing him the boxes of pizza she was holding.

"I'm fine…" Apollo replied, averting his eyes from the pair of them automatically.

"Hiya Mommy." Trucy greeted. "You're late! Look, Klavier's here!"

"Prosecutor Gavin! How nice to see you." Thalassa greeted, chuckling at her own joke.

"Likewise." Klavier replied.

"So, Mommy, why are you late?" Trucy asked.

"Oh…I was visiting Machi. He is alright." She added the second bit before Trucy could ask. "He will be released on his sixteenth birthday…that was the agreement reached with the Borginian government…he is also getting English lessons"

After some more chatter, Klavier suggested they eat the pizza before it got cold.

* * *

Apollo wondered if it was nice pizza that had been bought. He wouldn't know. Trucy had eaten most of his. Then she'd taken out her snacks and was munching them as well. If he didn't watch out, they'd have another Ema on their hands.

"So, any of you guys ever been to Britain?" Trucy asked.

"Eh? Ja, why? " Klavier asked.

"I went once. With my foster mother, about eight or nine years ago. We went to Scotland. It's strange, because I was sure it was supposed to be an unfit nation, but there were so many people in tracksuits…"

"Silly Herr Forehead. That's what people wear there. Usually, but not exclusively, the more unpleasant ones. Why did you want to know, fraulein?"

"Oh! I have a new British kid in my class!" Trucy told them. "He told me a joke, but I didn't get it."

"Well, let's hear it." Klavier encouraged.

"Well, um…did you hear about the gay magician?" Trucy asked.

"Nein?"

"He disappeared with a poof!"

The whole table fell into silence "Ah…" Klavier said finally. "You don't really want to, fraulein. It's not that funny."

"Oh?" Trucy frowned slightly. "I thought you'd get it. You're a poof, aren't you?"

"Trucy! You can't say things like that!" Phoenix reprimanded. "It's considered rude!"

"Rude, Daddy?" Trucy was genuinely shocked. "How?"

"I'll tell you when you're older." Phoenix replied, going back to his pizza.

"I thought you didn't get it, fraulein?" Klavier asked her.

Apollo stared. Did Klavier just say what he _thought _he'd said…?

"Well, I asked Charles – the British kid – what a poof was and he told me it was someone who had long hair, wore lots of elaborate clothing and jewellery, liked poetry and music and talked in a posh way. Like you, Klavier!"

"Nein, fraulein. It's a man who likes other men, and who is overly feminine." Klavier corrected her.

"Oh, and that they hang out with other poofs like Apollo."

"WHAT?" Apollo demanded.

"Trucy, stop it." Phoenix told her. He didn't sound all too concerned, really, Apollo noticed.

"Hey, it was the boys in my class who said Apollo was a poof. When he came to get me from school that one time." Trucy replied, shrugging.

Apollo just sat there, his face filling up…_again._

"Oh dear…"Thalassa sighed. "Apollo, are you alright? Your face…"

"You look like you're trying to blend in with your suit there, Herr Forehead." Klavier told him.

"…can we talk about something else?" Apollo practically begged.

"Aw, Herr Forehead is uncomfortable!" Klavier said. He was quite obviously enjoying himself.

"…do you blame me?" Apollo asked, irritated.

"That's okay!" Trucy said brightly. "We can talk about the baby!"

"Baby? WHAT baby?" Apollo demanded loudly.

Trucy giggled. "Just kidding!"

Apollo had just about died of heart failure at that moment. On the other hand, Klavier looked like he was trying his best not to laugh.

"Never do that to me again, Trucy. Ever." Apollo told her.

Trucy shrugged, taking another slice of his pizza.

"What, do you have a fear of children or something, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked.

"Not at all. But there are limits…" Apollo muttered.

"So, how's the case going, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked. "My offer for help still stands, you know."

"I hate this case. But it doesn't matter. I'm sure I'm nearly there…" Why he was refusing help he wasn't sure. Perhaps it was to do with the fact that Klavier was usually working against him.

"Pride is such a fickle thing…" Thalassa mused.

"Ja, Herr Forehead, pride is unbecoming!" Klavier added.

"Yeah, it makes your face go red, Polly!" Trucy added.

"…with friends like you two, who needs enemies?" Apollo grumbled.

"Well, technically, Klavier is your enemy. In court. Sort of." Trucy pointed out. "Right?"

"I guess so." Klavier agreed.

"See!" Trucy said, sounding proud.

"Trucy…no Snackoos again. Ever." Apollo said warningly.

"Probably a wise idea, fraulein." Klavier agreed.

"Snackoos? Oh, those snacks that Detective Skye is constantly munching on?" Thalassa asked.

"Yeah. You know Ema?" Apollo asked.

"Yes. We met during that concert…she described Prosecutor Gavin to me. I believe the phrase was 'glimmerous fop'?"

"…yeah, that's Ema."

"…ja."

"Yes, a glimmerous fop. She admitted grudgingly when pressed that he was also rather handsome in his own way…"

"Ema said that?" Apollo asked. Oh God. What with that tone of voice? Hopefully no one else noticed…

"Of course she did. I gave up my musical career months ago, yet I still find myself accosted by screaming girls wherever I go…"

Apollo decided that Ema was right. Klavier _was_ a glimmerous fop. "Yeah, but, Ema doesn't like you." He pointed out.

"Don't be silly, Polly. Ema doesn't like anyone!" Trucy reminded him.

"_She isn't _that_ bad…"_ Apollo thought to himself.

"Ja, fraulein's right." Klavier agreed.

"_Seriously, give her some credit…"_

"Why, Apollo? Are you jealous?" Phoenix asked from across the table, speaking for the first time in a while.

"No!" Apollo said quickly. Too quickly. "Eh…are we almost done here? I'm…tired."

"No, Polly. We still have dessert to go!"

Apollo wondered what he'd ever done to deserve this.

* * *

**Okay, that was **_**really **_**long. Then again, so was that conversation when we first wrote it…hmm…oh well! What did you think?**


	4. In Which Apollo Confesses

**No reviews last time…oh well. Maybe this little bit of fluff will rope you in?**

**In Which Apollo Confesses His Feelings**

Trucy could tell that this trial was going to end badly. Not for their client, oh no, they had the case just about wrapped up. No, the problem was a mixture of the prosecution and Apollo's state of health.

Apollo had felt really ill that morning when Trucy had woken him. Trucy had suggested that maybe he wasn't well enough to go to court, but Apollo had reminded her that Gerri needed them and insisted he was fine. So, Trucy had dragged him in front of her father, who had told her Apollo would be fine so long as he didn't overexert himself. Then he'd laughed, probably at the unlikeliness of Apollo _not _going completely over the top, and left the house.

The problem with the prosecution was that it wasn't Klavier. It was a woman, Sheila Sue, who did not seem even remotely interested in finding the truth. This, of course, was a break from what Apollo was used to. Plus, she didn't seem to like Apollo at all. The feeling was entirely mutual. Because of this, Apollo was about twenty times more likely to shout. Very loudly. Probably killing himself in the process.

In any case, it out to be interesting.

* * *

"OBJECTION!" Apollo yelled, finger pointing at the witness on the stand. Then he coughed, other hand rubbing his throat. Maybe shouting so loudly wasn't a good idea.

"Are you quite alright, Mr Justice?" the judge asked.

"Ah…I mean, I'm fine! Fine. Anyway…Mr Shields…there's a hole in that testimony!"

"Objection! I see no problem with the witness's statement. May I remind you that we are not playing guessing games here, Mr Justice?" Prosecutor Sue was glaring at him across the room, daring him to contradict her.

As the defence attorney, of course, Apollo was more than happy to oblige. "Mr Shields, I understand that you're trying to protect my client, but giving false testimony is not the way to do it! You could end up getting yourself and Gerri in serious trouble."

"What are you talking about, Spike?" the witness demanded. Spike. Ha. He wondered if he'd ever get a witness who didn't come up with a 'cute' nickname for him. This particular witness, Gerri Mann's biological father, had already came up with four.

"You claim that the defendant could not have killed her stepfather because she was with you from half past nine until eleven o'clock, correct?"

"Yes. She hadn't visited me in a long time, so I arranged to get her from school at half past. The excuse was that she was to go to the dentist."

"Well, that's obviously a lie. According to this-" from his pocket he withdrew a piece of paper. The attendance register for the day that the victim had been killed. "-Gerri was in school for the whole of her first class. From nine o'clock until ten minutes to ten."

"Eh! I mean, er…that is…"

"What I don't understand is how you could try to get away with such an obvious lie, Mr Shields. Do you really know anything about the day at all? Or are you simply trying to protect the defendant?!"

For a few minutes, no one said anything. Apollo's throat…and his head…were killing him. He hoped they were almost done here.

"Do you know what I think?" Trucy broke the silence. She was looking thoughtful. "I think that you're right, Apollo. Mr Shields is protecting someone. But it isn't Gerri. I think he might be protecting…himself, maybe?"

"Objection! That's ridiculous!" Prosecutor Sue shot in. "What possible reason could he have to-"

"We've already heard a motive." Apollo realised. "As Mr Shields said in his emotional testimony earlier… 'Gerri is _my _daughter! That _man _didn't deserve custody of her!'. Then you went on to tell us how 'at least now my girl can come home with me'."

The witness drummed his fingers on the stand, obviously thinking hard. "Ah! But Red, I couldn't have done it. I was a work when the murder took place!"

Apollo was already shaking his head. "But didn't you just tell us that you left work at nine to collect Gerri?" he asked.

"The witness will testify about his whereabouts that day!" The judge was obviously trying to gain back some control.

"You want to know what happened that day? Well…"

Apollo lost his focus at that precise moment. No! He needed to hear this testimony! He wondered vaguely at the slight irony of his sickness causing him to _lose _his focus before forcing himself back into reality, just in time to hear the gavel slamming down, the judge calling for order and no one paying any attention. Across the room, Prosecutor Sue had just lost a good portion of the colour in her face. Beside him, Trucy looked stunned.

"What just happened?" Apollo demanded of her in an undertone.

"What happened? Mr Shields just confessed to murder!" Trucy replied, her voice shrill.

"WHAT?" Apollo shouted. Ack. He shouldn't have shouted. He wondered what would happen if he fainted in the courtroom…

* * *

Apollo didn't faint. Although, all things considered, he was almost there. The witness had confessed without as much as a press. It didn't make any sense. Why go to all the bother of hiding it in the first place if he was just going to own up? The court hadn't even calmed down long enough for the judge to give the verdict. In the end he'd just spoken over them.

"So, does that count as a win or not?" Apollo asked Trucy as they arrived at home. Not that she would know, but neither had said anything since the trial.

"You'll have to ask Daddy." Trucy replied, shrugging. "But stop talking, Apollo. You look awful. Go to bed. I'll have to look after you today…"

Apollo glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only 11:15. "Nice try, Trucy. You still have the rest of the day left. Go to school."

Trucy sighed. "Fine, I'll go to school. Stop talking and go to bed!"

"Will you be alright going to school yourself?"

"Really, Apollo. I've just about looked after myself for seven years before you came along. What about you?"

"Me?"

"You're ill. You can't be left alone!"

"I'm twenty-two years old. I'll be fine." Apollo replied, heading for the stairs.

"No, you won't. But I know who to call!"

Apollo froze, foot in the air before the first step. "Trucy…don't you dare."

Trucy took out her phone and pressed the number 3. "He's on speed dial, you know."

"Trucy, put the phone away!" he was about to say more before he was overcome by a fit of coughing.

"Hiya Klavier! It's Trucy! Are you busy? … … … Good! Listen, I have to go to school, because the teacher said I've been off too much recently. But Polly's ill and I don't want to leave him by himself…"

"Trucy, put the phone away." Apollo demanded.

"….nothing serious. I think he done himself in with his Chords of Steel…. … …yeah, he nearly died in the courtroom…okay. See you!" With that, Trucy put her phone away. "Why are you still down here?" she demanded, eyes falling on where Apollo was standing, horror-stricken.

"Call him back. Tell him not to come."

"Oh, is that it? Don't be silly, Apollo. Now stop talking and go to bed. I'm going to go get my schoolbag."

Grudgingly, Apollo obeyed. He knew there was nothing he could do about it now, and he also knew that he'd much rather be conscious when Klavier arrived.

* * *

Apollo was reading when Trucy answered the door. He heard her say something to Klavier, and then leave the house. There was silence for a few seconds, seconds in which Apollo felt that this couldn't be so bad, really. Then the stomping upstairs changed his mind completely.

Apollo just had time to lower his book before the door was nearly kicked off its hinges.

There stood Klavier, glaring at him as though he'd killed someone. "I told you to top yelling so much!" he shouted accusingly, pointing at Apollo.

Apollo glared back, sitting up. "I'm a lawyer! Shouting's what I'm paid to do!"

"But you take it too far!"

"Says you who nearly broke down my door!"

"It wouldn't have broken. I know my own strength. Unlike you, apparently!" Klavier was really very angry. If Apollo hadn't been so ill…and frankly a little scared…he would have found it interesting.

"If it had broken, I wouldn't have had a door. Everyone in the house is incredibly cheap." Apollo told him.

"I said already, it wasn't going to break. Stop changing the subject!"

"Your bedside manner _astounds _me." Apollo sighed, lying back down and hoping the prosecutor would go away.

"It's your fault." Evidently, Klavier was nowhere near finished yet.

"How exactly is your irrational rage my problem?" Apollo demanded.

"Because you got yourself ill!"

"And why do you care?!"

"Because…because I do!"

"But WHY?!" Apollo yelled, frustrated. Oh dear Lord. His throat. He wondered if it was actually burning or if it was his imagination.

"Stop yelling, Herr Forehead! You'll hurt yourself." Klavier replied. His anger was apparently fast abating. He was smiling – _smiling – _as he approached Apollo's bed and took a seat on the end. "As to why I care, court's boring when you're not there being blissfully ignorant of the obvious and need me to give you hints."

Apollo stared. "Let me get this straight. You're angry because…because you don't want to be bored? Is that it?"

"Ja, pretty much."

"Oh." Apollo wasn't sure why he was feeling…disappointed? Nah, that couldn't be it. "…that makes sense I suppose."

"Something wrong?" Klavier asked.

"My throat hurts." This was perfectly true. Just not in context. "I need a drink."

Klavier stood up. "Okay. What do you want and I'll get it? I'm sure Herr Wright has some…grape juice…somewhere. That'll cheer you up."

"Water is fine." Apollo replied quickly.

"Okay, whatever you say." Klavier replied, leaving the room.

Apollo stared after him. It seemed as if somewhere, somehow, someone had gotten control over his life and was determined to have Klavier in it as much as possible.

He was more than a little shocked to find that he didn't mind this at all.

Before Apollo had any time to contemplate this, however, there was a loud crashing, followed by a louder stomping noise and then by his door being kicked open. Again.

"Your water." Klavier said, holding out the glass to him.

"Thanks." Apollo replied, sitting up and taking it off of him. "The noise…?"

"…never mind." Klavier replied.

Apollo decided it was better for his state of mind if he didn't know. He lifted the glass to his lips – then coughed and promptly spilled it.

"Mein Gott, Herr Forehead!" Klavier exclaimed, jumping back lest the water attack his godly self. "How did you manage that?"

"…ack, I'm soaked." Apollo muttered. "Sorry. I'm clumsy when I'm ill and when I'm embarrassed." And he was both of those at that particular time. Not that he was going to explain that.

"Change into something dry." Klavier suggested.

"Okay, I will."

There was silence for a few minutes, before Apollo sighed. "Leave the room, Klavier."

Klavier laughed and left, slamming the door behind him with rather more force than necessary.

About five minutes later, Apollo told him he could come back in, hoping that perhaps the ex-rock star had gotten bored and left.

No such luck. Klavier came back in, kicking the door once more for good measure.

Apollo sighed. "You know, the last time someone trailed after me when I was ill I was five years old. Although my foster mother at the time was slightly nicer than you are."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…she gave me my teddy bear and kissed me on the forehead…"

"I would, Herr Forehead, but I don't know where your teddy bear is." Klavier replied, without the hint of a smirk.

"Haha." Apollo replied dryly. "After she kissed me, she'd always tell me not to worry about the vastness of my head. I'd grow into it."

"She sounds nice. Unfortunately, she wasn't correct."

"Nice to have you here, Klavier. A real comfort you are." Apollo replied grumpily.

"Tell me about your teddy bear. Do you still have it? Does it have a name?"

"I…might, somewhere. In one of my old suitcases. As to its name…"

"Ja?"

"No, never mind."

"Oh, come on. You have to tell me now!"

"No."

"Why? Are you embarrassed?" Klavier demanded, moving closer than necessary. Perhaps he was trying to intimidate him. Apollo had strange mental flashes of his spikes defending him from Klavier's drill like-hair.

What strange things you thing of when you're ill. "…no, that's not it. Not really. I was just an ambitious child, is all."

"Go on."

"His name was Mr Lawsykins." Apollo sighed in defeat.

"Ahaha! That's so cute Herr Forehead!" Klavier exclaimed, grinning.

"…yeah, well…" Apollo muttered. _"Cute? Really?"_ he thought, a small smile appearing on his face. Then, "_Oh no! No, you don't, Justice. I'm warning you!" _followed by "_Damn, this mental conversing can't be healthy."_

"Is that a smile I see?" Klavier asked, still grinning.

"No!" Apollo replied. "Why would I smile? I have no reason to smile!" _"Smooth, Justice."_

"GOTCHA!" Klavier pointed his finger at Apollo again "You're being defensive!"

"Am not. And stop stealing my move."

Klavier shrugged. "I just wanted to try it. And why would you lie about smiling?"

"It's private…" Oh dear. That probably wasn't a good idea to say. Apollo saw the look in Klavier's eyes then. _Definitely _not a good idea.

"What's so terribly private about a smile you can't share it?" Klavier asked.

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone?" Apollo practically begged.

"Ja. You have my word."

"Well, I was…oh, but it's embarrassing! And I don't even know if I…that is to say…" Oh no. He felt his face filling up. _Again_.

"Was?" Klavier looked slightly confused now.

Apollo took a deep breath. Now or never. "I'm-smiling-because-you-indirectly-said-I-was-cute-and-I-think-Trucy-was-right" he said, without stopping for breath. Overcome with embarrassment, he pulled the quilt up over his head. "Now go away." He finished.

Silence. Had Klavier gone away…? Then laughter. "Silly Herr Forehead. I'm not going anywhere." Klavier said.

"You promised." Apollo tried helplessly.

"Ja, but I had my fingers crossed."

So? What had that to do with anything? Why was Klavier still here? Why hadn't he run for the hills by now? Why-? "…you heard me, right?"

"Ja."

Curiouser and curiouser. "And your thoughts?" Apollo asked, emerging from under the quilt, trying to remain businesslike.

Klavier sighed. "I've told you before Herr Forehead. I hate repeating myself."

"What?!" Apollo demanded. "You've never said anything about…that!"

"I did! Ages ago!"

"When? Where? How long had we known each other?" Apollo knew he sounded like a high school girl appealing for information about a crush. This was embarrassing, of course, but he'd much rather know now than later.

"Ages ago. People Park. We didn't know each other. Now shut up and get some rest, ja? Or you'll never get better."

Apollo struggled to remember. People Park? Well, that's where he and Trucy had first met Klavier, of course…what had Klavier said to him that day? '_I must say, I'm used to being inspected by the ladies…but this is the first time I've…'. _"Oh. OH. When you said…" Apollo had to duck under the quilt again. His face was burning. Again. Although this time, at least, he had good reason.

"Ja…" Klavier began to reply.

At the same time, Apollo's phone began to ring. He reached for it, avoiding Klavier's eyes as he did so.

"Hello?"

"Polly? Put me on loudspeaker, okay?"

"Trucy, now isn't really a…actually, now is an excellent time. Okay." Apollo pressed the button necessary for the loudspeaker option and put the phone on his bedside table.

"Hey guys! Can you hear me?" Trucy's voice filled the room. Both men told her that yes, they could.

"Something you needed, fraulein?" Klavier asked.

"No. I just wanted to say finally. Took you long enough to work out, Apollo."

"Fraulein…where are you? You didn't go to school, did you?" Klavier asked, his eyes sweeping the small room.

"How rude. Of course I went to school. I just didn't stay there. Your room's a mess, Apollo. It wasn't hard to slip Daddy's hat in. I updated the camera, so I'm getting a live feed right now! Give us a wave!"

Apollo saw the hat, now glaringly obvious at the foot of his bed. Lovely. What sort of role model was Mr Wright, anyway?!

"I'm pretty sure that's illegal, fraulein." Klavier said thoughtfully, lips turning up into a grin as he waved at the blue beanie.

"Hey, it was Daddy's idea." Trucy replied.

Oh. Mr Wright was _that _kind of role model. "Mr Wright…terrifies me."

"Perhaps you shouldn't listen to Herr Wright's ideas in the future, no matter how clever. They'll get you into trouble." Klavier suggested.

"Daddy says he's insulted." Trucy told him. "He's taking me to see Uncle Valant!"

"That's probably not a good idea, Trucy." Apollo said quickly. What on earth was Mr Wright _thinking?_

"Oh, that's what Daddy said. He doesn't know we're going there yet."

"You can't just assume people will bend to your plans." Apollo pointed out.

"Why not? You did."

"That was different." Apollo said, shooting a glance towards the smirking Klavier.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone." Trucy continued. "To discuss your new relationship, and all."

And she was gone. Apollo turned to see Klavier staring at him. "So where does this leave us, Herr Forehead?" he asked, still smirking.

* * *

"Daddy, can we go see Uncle Valant?"

"No." Phoenix replied bluntly. "You're going back to school."

Trucy frowned. This would be harder than she thought. "But…he's all I have left of my other Daddy…" She was now pulling her 'if-I-don't-get-what-I-want-I'll-cry' face. This was far superior to her please-daddy-they're-not-that-expensive-and-I-really need-magic-panties face and was only to be used in emergencies.

"Fine." Phoenix sighed. "We'll go."

"Yay! You know, about Apollo…things are going to be awkward in court now, aren't they? The judge'll be all like 'the defence will refrain from making googly eyes at the prosecution!'"

Phoenix shrugged. "Yeah. It happens."

"If they get married, will Polly where a dress again?"

"Probably, knowing you."

Two bus stops later, they arrived at the prison. Phoenix went straight up to the sign at the entrance, and then looked at his watch. "Ah. Trucy, we've missed visiting hours." He said. "Maybe next time."

Trucy stared at him. "Daddy…I can read. Visiting hours aren't over for another fifteen minutes."

"Oh…" Phoenix frowned. Time for some quick thinking. "…do you want to go for ice cream? And I'll get you some more Snackoos…"

"Okay!" Trucy said brightly.

Phoenix sighed, relieved. The power of the Snackoo. As they were walking away from the prison, however, he froze, realising the potential horrific implications of this seemingly innocent action.

How much was this going to _cost_?

Lucky that he'd picked up Apollo's wallet that morning...entirely by mistake, of course.

**These chapters…seem to get longer every time. If you could be bothered reading through all that, please, review!**


	5. In Which Trucy Interferes

**I'm so SORRY. What with one thing and another, I've not had a chance to update…these things including completing the first three games, so watch out for later spoilers for those…**

**Anyway, here it is, a month and a bit later. It's long…does that make up for it? **

**In any case, enjoy…**

**Oh yeah, one more thing. To my British readers...please don't get offended over the Charles thing, mmk? I mean...considering my friend and I are both from Britain-land as well, no offence intended :D**

**

* * *

In Which Trucy Interferes**

**

* * *

**

Over a week. Nine days. By now, Trucy had decided to take matters into her own hands.

Apollo was at the office, filling in his journal. Her father was at the library, studying – at least, he claimed to be. What he was actually doing probably involved grape juice, a television set and perhaps some leftover pizza.

But at that time, this was irrelevant. Trucy knew the house was around here somewhere. She'd gotten her directions off the internet, and checked them on numerous fan websites. She was pretty sure they were accurate.

There were more houses here than she'd first bargained. However, Trucy was fairly sure the one with the shiny red bike outside it was a good guess.

On closer inspection, Trucy realised the door was purple. The doorknob…well. This was definitely Klavier's house.

She knocked. Ten seconds later, she knocked again. There were loud crashing noises, followed by some presumably German words that Trucy had heard quite recently. Another ten seconds later, Trucy was considering kicking down the door. "Hey!" she called. "Are you going to make me wait all day?"

An old woman walking past glared at her. Trucy ignored her.

"Mein Gott! I'm coming, I'm coming!" Klavier's voice was just heard through the door. More loud crashing noises, then the 'G' shaped doorknob turned and the door opened.

"Ah, fraulein. What brings you here?"

"Well, I found myself in the neighbourhood…" Trucy began.

"Really?" Klavier asked, raising an eyebrow. "How did you manage that?"

Trucy ignored his question. It was immaterial right now. "Have you seen Polly recently?"

Klavier shook his head. "Nein, actually. Have you lost him?"

"Hmph. I thought so! He's so silly…he's feeling _perfectly _fine right now."

Klavier shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "Doesn't he have that case to work on, though?"

Trucy frowned. What was he talking about? "Which case? Oh, right. Gerri. No, we solved that case days ago. Turns out it was the defendant's biological father. Apparently, he was a bit of a drunk and got mad when he didn't get custody when Gerri's mommy died…now she has to go into care…"

Klavier frowned. "Poor fraulein…"

"Yeah…she was worried at first, but after Apollo talked to her she seemed much calmer. I have her number, too, so at least we can be friends." Trucy replied.

"Ah, that's good." Klavier said, smiling again. "You certainly are kind, fraulein."

"Ehehehe…" Trucy said, sticking out her tongue and pulling at her hat in slight embarrassment. "In any case, Apollo's glad this trial is over. The prosecution was a nightmare…"

"Really?" Klavier asked, folding his arms, apparently interested. "Who was it?"

Trucy shrugged. "Can't remember. Some woman. She preferred prosecuting to finding the truth. Apollo had to do it all by himself…"

Klavier snorted. "A lot of us are like that." He told her.

"Really?" Trucy frowned. "That's not very nice…"

"Ja, I know."

Trucy's frown became even more pronounced. They were getting off topic. Again. "So, um…Polly hasn't called you? Or anything?"

"Nein, not really." Klavier replied. Trucy opened her mouth to criticise her brother in as many ways as possible. Before she had a chance, Klavier continued. "I don't really mind. He was really stressed with it. Herr Forehead isn't good at staying calm."

Trucy shook her head. "But after everything that happened…I thought you were…"

"Ja? But people need space, fraulein…"

"But that was days ago!" Trucy replied, exasperated.

"Only a few days, Fraulein Trucy. Calm down."

"It's still silly. I mean, like, I still talk to Charles, and I didn't even say yes to him!" Trucy sighed. Then she froze, staring. "…wait."

"What's wrong?" Klavier asked.

"...maybe that's it. Is Polly regretting it? Oh no! No, Klavier, you march right over there and tell him not to!"

"Fraulein, have you actually talked to Herr Forehead? Besides, that would make things worse. He'll come to eventually." Klavier told her.

Suddenly, Trucy's gaze turned into a glare. "…oh no!"

"Eh?"

"It isn't…you haven't…have _you_ changed your mind?!" Trucy demanded.

"_Was?" _Klavier demanded, looking shocked. "Nein, nein! Of course I haven't!"

"You're sure?"

"Ja, of course I am!"

Trucy's face relaxed into a smile. "Oh, thank goodness. See, Polly? I told you! You were just being silly."

Klavier blinked. "Eh? What?"

"Oh!" Trucy was grinning now. "Well, you see, Apollo was worried. So I said I'd sort it!" She smirked, triumphant, pointing at the small button on her cape. "Daddy's camera, see?"

Klavier stared at her. Trucy continued to grin. "…fraulein?"

"Yeah?"

"Can…can't you do things normally?" Klavier asked.

Trucy blinked. Was he seriously asking that? "Klavier." She said patiently. "You know who my Daddy is, right?"

"Ja?"

"And my other one, too?"

"Ja…"

"And yet, you still ask me why I can't do things normally?"

Klavier laughed, slightly uncertainly. "Ah, I see your point." he agreed.

Of course he did. It wasn't that hard. "Incidentally, Apollo told me that using Daddy's camera was 'immoral' and that he refused to go along with it."

"Smart Herr Forehead…" Klavier said, nodding. Despite this, he was seemingly unable to resist winking into the camera.

"But he's totally watching anyway. Anyway, I can't believe you'd leave a poor helpless girl to stand in the cold!" Trucy was now in accusation mode again. "You aren't even going to let me in?"

"…you never asked." Klavier replied, shrugging and moving aside.

* * *

Trucy's gasp was loud. "Klavier Gavin, what happened in here?" she demanded.

"What? What's wrong?" Klavier asked, entering the house himself and shutting the door behind him. He glanced over Trucy's head, half expecting to see a body or something.

"Your house! It's even more of a mess than Apollo's bedroom!"

Klavier exhaled. "Oh. Well, I find things better this way, fraulein."

"Hm." Trucy replied, kicking something out of the way. The breakage sounded valuable. She hoped Klavier hadn't noticed. "Say, do you have any ice cream? Chocolate or strawberry is my favourite ever!"

"Ah…help yourself?" Klavier said, following the blue streak into the kitchen. What, she had a food detector or something now? "I don't know about those flavours, though…"

"That's okay!" Trucy replied, fumbling in his cupboard until she found what she was looking for. She brought out the small bag, triumphant. "I'll make do."

"Ah! Nein, fraulein." Klavier told her, hand out for the bag. "You aren't allowed those."

Trucy's grip on the Snackoos tightened. "Come on, Klavier. No one will find out!"

"You do remember last time, fraulein?" Klavier asked, tugging at the bag, trying to pull it away from her.

"Last time? Oh, I made Apollo think strange things about you. It was fun!" Trucy replied, grinning.

"My point. No more for you."

"Objection! Thanks to my youthful enthusiasm, everything turned out great!"

Klavier had to laugh. 'Objection', indeed. The girl looked so determined. "But they're bad for you, fraulein."

"So's shouting."

"Ah, but I told him to stop that."

"Ah, but he still does it. So can't I have just one?"

"Nein." Klavier replied firmly, tugging at the bag again. Then she did it. That face. What was that? How cute. She looked like Apollo when he was doing badly in court. Klavier's resolve almost wavered.

Almost.

"Nein." He repeated.

Trucy sighed in defeat, relinquishing her hold on the Snackoos. "Fine." She replied crossly. Klavier put the bag in his highest cupboard, taking no chances that she might reach them again. Unless she could fly. Which wouldn't actually be all that surprising.

There was a loud knock at the door. Klavier ignored it. He was busy watching Trucy muttering to herself angrily. It was rather amusing.

_Knock, knock_

Klavier sighed. "Mein Gott, what's with all the visitors today? Come in!" he raised his voice for the last part.

"I can't." a voice replied. "Something's fallen in front of the door."

"Ooh! I knew it would work!" Trucy's face was suddenly happy again as she skipped towards the front door.

"Herr Forehead?" Klavier called, confused as he cleared away some of the junk in front of the door.

"I came to get Trucy. I saw she was bothering you, and-" Apollo began.

"Oh ho!" Trucy was looking exultant again. "So you _were _watching, then, Apollo! How…um…_immoral_ of you."

Apollo was suddenly stammering, Klavier noticed with some amusement. "Er…eh…well…"

Raising an eyebrow, Klavier decided to make things even more difficult. "Now, that's strange. Fraulein Trucy told me you didn't agree with her methods, Herr Forehead."

"Er…that is to say…I didn't…"

"Then how did you know to come here, hm?"

"I…um…got bored?"

Klavier snorted. "You know, Herr Forehead, for having such a vast cranium, you're an awful liar." He told him, prodding Apollo's forehead with his pointing finger.

"Don't do that!" Apollo demanded. It entertained Klavier to no end that the defence attorney was blushing. _Again_. "I only watched a little bit."

"So you withheld that information from us? I'm hurt, Herr Forehead." Klavier told him, pulling a face to illustrate this fact.

"Trucy left the screen on in the attic. I wasn't watching until…until I heard your voice. I got curious."

"Liar." Klavier replied lightly.

"Come on, I'm a lawyer!"

"And thus, a terrible liar. I thought you'd have picked up some bluffing skills from Herr Wright, but clearly not."

"Actually, Klavier, I did leave the portable player up in the attic…and Apollo was looking for something." Trucy admitted.

Klavier folded his arms. "Really? So what was this treasure you had lost, Herr Forehead?"

"My…um…my old bear." Apollo admitted. He was getting defensive again, Klavier observed.

"Herr Lawsykins, ja?" Klavier asked, not able to resist a slight snort.

"You still have him, Apollo?" Trucy demanded.

"Yes, I do. Stop laughing at me, Klavier."

"Why were you looking for him, Polo mint?" Trucy asked.

"…Polo mint?"

Klavier sighed theatrically. "Achtung, Herr Forehead! Must I explain everything? Apollo goes to Polly, Polly goes to Polo mint, ja, fraulein?" That was one thing he admired about Trucy. Her ability to say these things off the top of her head in a way that pushed Apollo into utter bewilderment amused him to no end.

Or perhaps she did plan it all. Either way, the results were the same and Apollo always ended up sufficiently confused.

"Ja!" Trucy replied, grinning.

Apollo sighed. "Oh, right. Please, Trucy, don't start spouting German."

"Then tell me why you were looking for Mr Lawsykins!

"Well, I was going to give him to Gerri…"

"Sure..." Klavier cut in.

"I was!" Apollo replied indignantly. Klavier could have sworn his spikes were quivering.

"We believe you, Polly!" Trucy told him enthusiastically. "So, um Klavier, will you do me a favour?"

"What's up, fraulein?"

"Teach me German!"

Klavier was tempted to agree, but a glance at Apollo's face had him changing his mind quickly. "Eh…I don't think Herr Forehead would appreciate that…"

Trucy sighed. "Ah well. So has your bike broken again yet?"

Klavier blinked. This girl's brain obviously worked at over a million miles an hour. Even he occasionally found it difficult to keep up. "Eh…? Oh, my bike. Nein, it hasn't broken. I know how to look after it."

Was that a snort he heard from Apollo's direction there? He didn't have any time to look, however, as Trucy was talking again. "I remember the first time we saw that bike, remember, Apollo?"

"What? Oh…yeah." Apollo agreed.

"It was so pretty! And you were too! Like a prince!"

"Danke, fraulein." Klavier replied. And then, unable to let it go, he added "But personally I think my bike is still 'pretty'."

Trucy shrugged. "Whatever. And, and, I remember you called me pretty too! Or something like that. Then you let us into the park! Ema was really annoyed at that…until she found out who my daddy was…I mean, who my daddy _is_. That was after you flirted with Apollo mercilessly, of course."

Apollo's face reddened. Klavier found this extremely entertaining. "Ja, I remember that."

"And then we met Ema for the second time." Trucy went on, seemingly caught up in her own story. "She was grumpy. And that was the first time I ever heard the word 'glimmerous'!"

"That's because the Fraulein Detective made the word up." Klavier told her, spinning to face Apollo and taking the liberty of prodding his forehead with his pointing finger again. "Really, Herr Forehead, you need to stop that. I can hardly distinguish between you and your suit."

Apollo's face, if possible, turned redder at this and, in turn, he seemed to get extremely irritated. "I can't help it. It's your fault."

"Really?" Klavier asked, smirking. "In that case, I'm going to just keep doing this!" He raised his arm again, fully intent on repeating his previous action. This plan was thwarted by fast reflexes that Klavier would have never guessed Apollo could possibly possess. In a flash, the defence attorney had shot out his own hand and grabbed Klavier's, cutting off the path to his forehead.

"Stop. Please." Apollo said.

Klavier was still grinning. "Ja, okay." He replied.

"Thanks."

"Sie sind willkommen."

"I don't speak German."

"Tough."

Trucy, who hadn't spoken for over a minute, seemed unable to stop herself from intervening. "It means 'You're welcome', right?"

Klavier nodded. "Ja, that's right."

"See, Polly?" Trucy beamed. "I'm smarter than you!"

Apollo rolled his eyes. Klavier was pretty sure he heard him mutter under his breath that this was exactly why Trucy should stay unilingual.

"…say, Apollo? Are you going to steal Klavier's hand?" Trucy asked.

Apollo looked down, seemingly having forgotten he was holding it in the first place. Klavier, on the other hand, had not. "Das gefaellt mir" he noted thoughtfully.

"Which means…?" Apollo asked. Klavier was pleased to notice that his hand had not been dropped.

"'Give it back'?" Trucy suggested.

"Nein." Klavier replied. "Try again."

"Hm…'that sounds good'?" she guessed.

"Close enough." Klavier said, laughing slightly at the proud look on the young magician's face.

"Can I have a reward?" Trucy tried. "Like…a Snackoo?"

"Nein."

"Nice try."

Trucy blinked. "Now you're talking at the same time. That's scary." She then sighed, turning away from them slightly. "I guess I'll just have to get Daddy to get me some when he's in a good mood…"

"Mr Wright has his exam soon, though. Although I suppose he's not the type to get worried over it…" Apollo remarked.

"No, he said it would be as easy as duping you, Polly." Trucy replied matter-of-factly.

"Pretty easy, then." Klavier finished lightly.

"How did you manage to turn that against me?" Apollo demanded. "That has got to be some sort of recognisable talent."

"In conclusion, Daddy's still likely to get me some Snackoos." Trucy seemed pleased. It was a pity Klavier had to dash her hopes.

"He won't, fraulein. I'll warn him." Klavier told her.

"Why would you do that, Klavier? I thought we were friends!" Trucy said crossly.

Klavier had to admire the tactics that Trucy was applying here, he really did. Not that they were going to _work_, but it was a commendable effort on her part.

"Because it's dangerous to have you near them. You already tried to take mine." Klavier reminded her.

"You said 'help yourself'!" Trucy countered.

"When you were asking about ice cream. Which tends to mean 'help yourself to ice cream'." Klavier responded.

"…stingy little poof, aren't you?" Trucy muttered, angrily folding her arms.

"Trucy!" Apollo reprimanded sharply.

Klavier wasn't fazed at all by this remark. On the contrary, he'd been expecting it. "Das ist aber schade, fraulein." He replied lightly.

"I'm assuming that means 'you're right, Trucy, have a Snackoo'."

"Nein, it means 'that's a shame, fraulein'." Klavier replied.

Trucy glared at him. Klavier hoped he hadn't upset her too much. Apollo would only get the brunt of it later.

* * *

Apollo wasn't sure what to make of what had happened up to this point. All he knew is that he was standing holding Klavier's hand listening to him argue with Trucy over whether or not she was allowed to have a snack in a mixture of German and English.

He could only hope Klavier hadn't upset Trucy too much. He'd only get the brunt of it later.

The room appeared to have descended into silence, although there was a stark contrast in the atmosphere. On Trucy's side, the silence was a resentful one, whereas the aura surrounding Klavier was that of someone who was both amused and far too pleased with himself.

Simply because he really didn't want Trucy getting more annoyed than she already was, Apollo attempted to start another conversation. "Speaking of what you just said there, Trucy, what was that I heard you saying to Klavier about that British boy earlier?"

"Huh? Oh, right, Charles. Well, he said I was pretty and then asked me out." Trucy replied, shrugging.

Ah, how nice. "So what did you say?" Apollo asked.

"Oh, I told him I wasn't interested. He had a funny way of asking though. The way he phrased it was…um…well, he asked me how easy I was."

Apollo blinked. Surely he hadn't heard that right. "What? He asked you what?!"

"Wann?" Klavier demanded. "Today?"

Trucy blinked. "What? Yesterday, at school. What's the problem?"

"He didn't mean what you thought." Klavier told her. Why, Apollo wanted to know, was he so calm? "Stay away from this boy in the future, fraulein."

"Know where he lives, by any chance?" Apollo demanded.

"Now, now, Herr Forehead. Calm down."

"Klavier, what exactly is the problem here?" Trucy asked.

"…he wasn't asking what you think he was." Klavier told her after a moment's hesitation.

"Well, what _did_ he mean then?" Trucy pressed.

"…es macht nichts, fraulein. It doesn't matter."

Apollo dropped Klavier's hand at that moment and folded his arms in a failed attempt to express some of his anger before it caused him to blow up.

"Calm down." Klavier told him, using his free hand to once again poke Apollo in the middle of his forehead.

"No. And you said you'd stop that." Apollo replied crossly.

"Ja, I did. But then you got angry."

"Yeah for a good reason!"

"Fine, ignore me." Trucy muttered. "I'll just ask Daddy!" She reached into her pocket and took out her phone.

"Now, Herr Forehead. You know what happens to people who get angry and react before they calm down."

"No, I don't." Apollo replied.

"They hurt people and I get them put in jail." Klavier continued, reaching over and snatching Trucy's phone out of her hand.

"Give that back!" Trucy demanded.

"Nein." he replied lightly.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think Herr Wright would react well…"

"Yeah, for a good reason." Apollo repeated in an undertone.

"Why not?" Trucy asked.

"Because he's a little impulsive." Klavier told her, a slight grin appearing on his face. Apollo, on the other hand, didn't see anything remotely funny about the situation.

"And what's that to do with anything?" Trucy pressed.

"I refuse to put half of your family in jail, fraulein."

"Though…" Apollo muttered, sitting down. "If it's Mr Wright, chances are he'll get out of it."

"Nein." Klavier said, having apparently heard. "Sticking to the truth and all."

"You can't arrest my Daddy _again." _Trucy said.

"No one's arresting anyone. Except maybe this 'Charles'." said Apollo.

"Asking someone to be your girlfriend is not a crime, Apollo." Trucy pointed out.

Klavier put Trucy's phone in his pocket. "He wasn't asking that, fraulein. Now, can we let this be the end to it?"

"What was he asking then?"

Klavier blinked. "Eh…ask Herr Forehead."

Apollo glared at him. "Thanks, Klavier."

"No problem." Klavier replied, smiling at him.

"Well, Polly?"

"I…" Apollo started. "I'll tell you later."

Trucy glared. "Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" she demanded. "Daddy yesterday, you today, Klavier when I asked him what 'scheisse' meant…"

"Shh, fraulein!" Klavier said quickly.

Apollo didn't know much German, it was true. But he knew enough to get by. Including that. "Trucy…what did you just say?"

"Scheisse?" Trucy repeated. "Klavier said it, but he wouldn't tell me what it meant…"

"Shhhh!"

"…Klavier…"

"I was angry at my bike!" Klavier said defensively. "You can't blame me. I didn't know she was in earshot."

Apollo folded his arms, continuing to stare at the prosecutor.

"Really, Herr Forehead, you can stop with that face. I told you, I didn't know she was there."

Apollo sighed. "Okay, okay…I guess you're right. Sorry."

"…wow." Trucy said, stunned. "Apollo just admitted to being wrong."

Much to Apollo's annoyance, Klavier took the opportunity to prod his forehead again. "She's right. Are you feeling okay, Herr Forehead?" he asked flippantly.

Apollo grabbed the hand again. "I already told you to stop that. Do I have to hold it all day to make you?"

"And I already told you, Herr Forehead. Das gefaellt mir."

Apollo shut his mouth. There wasn't much you could say in response to that.

"Hey, hey, Klavier!" Trucy said suddenly. She looked happy all of a sudden. "Since I've managed to get you two talking again, I can have a Snackoo, right?"

Klavier laughed. "Nice try, Fraulein Trucy. But you know as well as I do that that isn't going to work."

Trucy frowned. "But that's not fair."

"It's not fair to leave Herr Forehead to tell with you on a sugar high either."

"Then he can stay here tonight." Trucy reasoned.

"Then Herr Wright would have to put up with you. No chance, fraulein."

Trucy folded her arms. "It's not as if Daddy's ever around anyway. Or Mommy, for that matter."

"The answer's still 'nein', fraulein."

"Fine, I'll buy some myself. How much for a packet?" Trucy asked.

"About $5." Apollo told her. This roughly translated as 'most of my pay check', considering Ema's tendency to get highly strung.

"WHAT?" Trucy looked shocked. "But that! That's a whole month's allowance! I…I'll never see a Snackoo again."

Klavier shook his head. "Admit it, fraulein. It's safer that way."

From the look on Trucy's face, Apollo guessed she wasn't about to admit a thing. "Wait!" Trucy said suddenly. "Maybe Ema will share!"

"Come on, Trucy, does that sound even remotely possible?" Apollo asked her.

"It's Fraulein Detective we're talking about. Think about it for a second." Klavier added.

Trucy sighed loudly. "Fine, whatever. Can I have my phone back, at least?"

"Eh? Oh, sure." Klavier replied, reaching into his pocket and handing it back to her.

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to go talk to Gerri. I promised I'd call her."

"…be careful what you say to her, Trucy." Apollo said. "You can be a little insensitive."

"What? How rude! Tell him, Klavier!"

"…I'd be careful what you say, fraulein."

Letting out a loud, annoyed sound, Trucy turned on her heel and headed towards the kitchen, muttering about how they made it sound like she was some sort of twisted little evil mastermind with the way they went on.

A second later, Klavier followed, warning her to stay away from the Snackoos. A few minutes later, Apollo decided that he should follow too. Three seconds later, he was face down on the carpet. "Ow…"

There was instantly the sound of someone jumping to their feet. "You okay, Herr Forehead?" Klavier's voice drifted in from the kitchen, sounding anxious.

"Your house is a death trap." Apollo grumbled, picking himself up cautiously and walking into the kitchen.

"What are you talking about, Herr Forehead? I cope fine." Klavier told him

"What? Oh no, nothing. My brother just fell over." Trucy was saying into the phone.

"I hurt my leg." Apollo complained, sitting down at the table.

Klavier's expression changed from joking to worry in an instant. "Are you okay? I'm sorry. Is it bleeding?"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "No, I'm…actually, it is bleeding a little, but…"

"It's okay. His boyfriend just overreacted." Trucy continued.

"I am _not _overreacting!" Klavier replied, irritated, while he flung open cupboards looking for a band-aid and generally overreacted.

"Calm down, Klavier." Apollo said. "I'm fine."

"Yeah." Trucy said, still speaking to Gerri. "My Daddy says that all the time."

"Trucy!" Apollo said sharply. "I thought I told you to watch what you said!"

"Ah, sorry!" Trucy exclaimed. "Sorry, Gerri…yeah. Okay. See you there!" With that, she shoved her phone in her pocket and headed towards the kitchen door. "Oh, Apollo, you hurt yourself again? Klavier, you'll have to lead him about from now on…anyway, I'm going to meet Gerri. I'll tell Daddy that you're staying here and not to wait up, okay?" And with that, she was gone.

"…bye?" Klavier called after her.

"Are you sure she didn't have any sugar?" Apollo asked him, sticking on the adhesive bandage that Klavier triumphantly produced from the back of a cabinet.

"Ja. At least, I think so."

"…Mr Wright is going to lock me out tonight…" Apollo muttered to himself.

"You can stay here if you want." Klavier told him, shrugging. "It'll give you a break from the fraulein, in any case."

* * *

Apollo found the spare bedroom after five false starts, two of which had been bathrooms, two storerooms filled with Gavinner's merchandise and one being Klavier's bedroom. Each and every single one of these rooms, with the exception of one of the bathrooms, was so utterly cluttered it was unbelievable.

The spare room was worse.

Apollo was gingerly attempting to make his way through the room without hurting himself. He didn't quite manage it.

"Herr Forehead, what are you doing?" Klavier's amused voice asked from the doorway.

"Hopping about in pain." Apollo replied grumpily. "I stubbed my toe."

"You really aren't very safe, are you?" Klavier laughed. "Are you sure you can be left alone in here?"

"I'm a grown man, Klavier."

"Grown? Really?"

"Very funny."

"Don't get grumpy, Herr Forehead."

"I've been here for a few hours and have succeeded in damaging myself twice. I'm entitled to a little grumpiness." Apollo grumbled.

"You need a caretaker, Herr Forehead."

"Are you offering, Klavier? What, are you telling me I've to sleep in your room tonight?"

"If you want." Klavier relied, shrugging and walking away.

Apollo stood still for a minute then made to leave the room.

After three steps he'd fallen flat on his face. Again.

**My friend would like to tell you that anything your filthy little minds came up with is none of her responsibility and was not intended. I, on the other hand, would like to state the opposite. Reviews make me happy, by the way :)**


	6. In Which Apollo Discovers Alcohol

**Considering neither my friend nor I drink, this chapter was incredibly fun to make. As to why I haven't updated in forever…um…well…I was actually bitten by the procrastination bug. Sorry. **

**And now I advertise. Check out some of my other AA fics! They're all oneshots, of course...  
But hey, I'm a review hog. Cookies to those of you who do~  
**

**

* * *

**

**In which Apollo Discovers the Wonders of Alcohol.  


* * *

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That Apollo had forgotten his keys yesterday was simply cruel fate – either that, or Trucy had stolen them when he wasn't looking. In any case, it was just after twelve and he'd arrived home to a locked door.

He had knocked – three times, in fact – and yet, here he'd stood for the last ten minutes. Finally, he caught a glimpse of an eye staring at him through the keyhole, and then Phoenix's voice calling a greeting.

"Uh, yeah, hi." Apollo replied distractedly. "…can you open the door, please?"

"Haven't you got your key?" Phoenix asked, and Apollo couldn't miss the trace of amusement in his voice. He refrained from snapping back, instead opting to inform his boss that no, he did not, considering the only reason he'd stayed out was that his fifteen year old sister didn't know how to leave well alone.

He heard what sounded like muffled laughter on the other side of the door, and then silence for another minute or two. Phoenix had apparently misplaced his key again. Finally, the scraping of the key in the lock and the door opened to a grinning hobo. "Hey, Apollo. Welcome back."

"…yeah, thanks." Apollo replied, entering the house and hoping he could go straight back to bed.

Not a chance.

"Polly! You're home!" Trucy came bounding out of the living room, grabbing his arm in a way that suggested _someone _had been at the sugar again. "Did you have fun? Did you?"

Apollo decided the safest course of action was to answer her questions. "Yeah, I guess. I fell down a lot; Klavier's house is in an even worse state than this place. And he can't cook. Of course, he would insist on making breakfast…"

"So where'd you sleep?" Trucy continued, apparently having heard none of what he'd just said.

"…"

"C'mon, Polly, answer me!"

Apollo looked to Phoenix for help, but the man's thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. As usual. He sighed. "Does it matter?"

"Not in the slightest." Trucy's face fell slightly as her father spoke. So Phoenix was going to help him after all? Of course, Apollo's relief was short-lived. "But we _are _curious." Phoenix continued.

"…"

"So, Polly? Did you sleep in Klavier's bed?"

Apollo didn't answer, the only reason being that he was a terrible liar. Unfortunately, Trucy knew this, and took his silence as assent. "Aha! I knew it!" she exclaimed, smirking.

"It's not…I mean it wasn't…I mean, nothing…!" Apollo felt himself getting embarrassed, and automatically looked to Phoenix for help. The older man looked like he was trying urgently not to laugh.

"Right, suuuuuure, Apollo." Trucy laughed.

"Trucy, you shouldn't even know to make implications like that!" Apollo tried desperately.

Trucy snorted. Phoenix, on the other hand, looked thoughtful. "Hmm, good point…" he agreed.

"Hey, I'm fifteen, not five!" Trucy objected.

"Hmm, good point." Phoenix said again, looking like he was enjoying himself.

Trucy stuck out her tongue, and Apollo sighed. "You seriously appreciate your daughter saying stuff like that?" he demanded.

"Not really." Phoenix admitted. "But you should have seen Larry at her age. I'm _glad _this is all she's saying."

Apollo neither knew nor cared who Larry was. All he knew was that he appeared to have lost this argument.

"So anyway, Polly, guess what?" Trucy once again drew attention back to herself. "I'm throwing you a birthday party!" She looked pleased.

Apollo blinked. "Uh…thanks, Trucy. But…it isn't my birthday."

"That's irrelevant. Tell him, Daddy!"

Phoenix appeared to consider it. "Well, for a birthday party, you should wait 'til it's someone's birthday."  
Trucy frowned, seeming to think it over. "Ahaha! I've got it! What about a 'congratulations-on-winning-another-case party'?"

"That sounds reasonable." Phoenix agreed.

"Trucy, I don't need a par-"

"Or a 'look-your-boss-is-getting-his-badge-back-after-losing-it-for-presenting-false-evidence' party!"

Apollo sighed again. "Isn't there anyone in this house with a little tact?"

"Nope!" Phoenix answered brightly.

"I know, I know!" Trucy continued excitedly. "A 'your-boss-is-becoming-your-daddy' party!"

It was only brief, but Apollo noticed an expression flick across Phoenix's face as Trucy said those words. Before he could say anything about it, however, it was gone, and his boss was commending Trucy on her good idea.

"…Trucy…" Apollo tried to interrupt.

"What about a 'you've-finally-found-someone-who-loves-you' party!" Trucy was either oblivious to the fact that this could be found insulting or didn't care. Likely the latter.

"…hey!"

Phoenix was laughing. Again. Apollo wondered what would happened if he punched him again. Instead, he turned to Trucy and asked her, "Have you had any sugar today?"

"I don't think she has." Phoenix said lightly.

"Well…" Trucy said. "When I was at Gerri's, she gave me a bag of chocolate Snackoos…"

"Trucy!" Apollo said sharply.

"What?" she demanded.

"You were told not to." Phoenix said, obviously attempting to sound like he was laying down the parental law and failing miserably due to the grin still plastered across his face.

Trucy huffed. "I just wanted to throw everyone a party."

"You shouldn't have eaten them." Apollo reprimanded.

Trucy rolled her eyes. "Really, Apollo, if sleeping with Klavier is going to make you so grumpy, I think you shouldn't do it in the future."

Apollo felt his face going instantly red. "No, no, that's…I mean…that is…sleeping _over_ with…I mean, at his house…I…"

"No, I'm sure I was right the first time." Trucy cut across him.

"Mr Wright, control your daughter!" Apollo demanded.

"Trucy, stop annoying Apollo." Phoenix said obediently.

"How am I annoying him?!" Trucy demanded. "I thought lawyers liked the truth!"

"We do." Phoenix said patiently. "But I don't think Apollo is comfortable with you talking so openly about his private life."

"Apollo wants me to hide _everything._" Trucy frowned. "Even my own story about Charles and…"

"Who's Charles?" Phoenix asked, sounding mildly interested.

"No one." Apollo interrupted, glaring at Trucy, who seemed to realise that she'd messed up.

"Then what's with the – rather unsuccessful – gag order on Trucy?" Phoenix pressed.

Apollo desperately tried to think of a way to change the subject. Unfortunately, that wasn't what was on Trucy's mind.

"Really, Daddy, Charles just said something to me. It's no big deal. I don't even know what he was talking about."

"Shut up, Trucy." Apollo muttered.

"What did he say?" Phoenix demanded. He wasn't smirking now.

"He just asked me a question."

"What did he ask you?"

"…how easy I was."

"Way to hold out, Trucy." Apollo said, exasperated.

"Where'd this kid live again?" Phoenix asked lightly.

"Apollo asked that too." Trucy noted.

"Promise me something. You won't speak to this boy again. Ever." Phoenix demanded.

"Alright, calm down, Daddy." Trucy said, sounding slightly alarmed. "Remember, murder is bad, and they'll take your badge away if you do it."

"Not if they don't catch him." Apollo noted, earning a slap for his efforts.

"Apollo, you can't just say things like that!" Trucy said angrily.

"Well, I have seen enough murders to avoid being caught." Phoenix input with what could only be described as a slightly evil laugh.

"But if you _were _caught, you'd be arrested and I'd be left alone. _Again_." Trucy replied, with a rather upset look on her face.

"Well, we'll forget it then." Phoenix told her, putting an arm around her.

Apollo shook his head, somewhat amused. Another crisis averted, somehow. "Right, I'm going to go get changed." He said, heading upstairs.

"Oh, Apollo, don't forget! Party later!" Trucy called after him.

Apollo's only reply was an extremely loud sigh.

* * *

The first thing Trucy did after the conversation, of course, was to phone her best buddy ever. Klavier answered on the third ring.

"Ja?"

"Klavier, it's Trucy."

"Ah, hey, fraulein. What's up?"

"Well, firstly, Polly said he enjoyed himself last night. Second, wanna come over?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Klavier replied. "Sure, why not? What's the occasion?"

Trucy considered. They'd never actually come to a decision, had they? "Well…we're having a…um…'your boss, who lost his badge because of your boyfriend, is becoming your daddy and getting his badge back' party!"

Another pause on the other end, this time accompanied with the sound of barely concealed laughter. "Sounds like fun." Klavier finally replied. "But have you actually cleared this with them, or are you making it up as you go along again?"

Trucy stopped to think about it. "Well, _Daddy _seemed okay with it."

"I'll see you later, then, fraulein." He hung up on his end, and Trucy was left standing with the phone, a million brilliant but dangerous -for Apollo- thoughts running through her head.

* * *

Trucy was just setting out drinks on the table when the door went. "It's not locked." She called.

There was a soft banging noise as Klavier opened the door with his foot – a habit he seemed to be settling into quite well – and entered the room.

"Hey, Klavier, do me a favour. Apollo's sulking in his room. Go get him, will you?" Trucy asked distractedly, hunting around for something she'd apparently dropped.

Klavier laughed. "Ja, okay." He replied, then absentmindedly wandered to the stairs and made his way up. He was extremely tempted to kick down Apollo's bedroom door – again – but decided against it on the grounds of not wanting to deepen this supposed 'sulk' any further. So, instead, he knocked.

With his foot.

No reply from inside. Klavier sighed loudly, and then spoke. "Herr Forehead, if you don't get out here right now, I'm breaking down your door."

The sound of movement from inside, then Apollo opened the door, glaring at him. He looked like he'd been asleep – or almost asleep – and his hair was a mess. It was rather cute. Until he spoke. "What're you doing here?" he demanded.

"Your little sister called me. Something about a party. She didn't mention having told you. But I've been sent to fetch you, so move it." Klavier replied, showing his utter lack of geniality when it came to people he cared about. He punctuated his answer with what by now must be considered a signature move – a prod to Apollo's oversized forehead.

Apollo rolled his eyes, not even bothering to react to Klavier's gesture. "Fine, whatever. Just give me a minute to fix my hair…"

"Nein, not a chance. I'm not letting you make this so _boring. _Come on, where are your flustered little reactions?"

"What are you talking about? I just woke up! Stop trying to confuse me."

"Just woke up? It's after nine pm."

"Yeah, and I went to bed half an hour ago."

Klavier snorted. "Really, I never had you down as one with a strict half past eight bedtime routine."  
"Oh shut up." Apollo replied, slamming the door in his face.

Klavier just laughed, and told him he could wait out here all night.

It only took another ten minutes.

* * *

"Klavier! Apollo! What are you two _doing? _Now isn't the time, okay?" Trucy called upstairs.

Apollo appeared at the top of the stairs, grumbling something about not even being able to sleep in his own house.

"It isn't your house." Klavier reminded him, appearing behind him and following him downstairs. "But cheer up, Herr Forehead. You're depressing me."

Trucy led them into the main room, gesturing towards the table. "You guys can have the alcohol. The fizzy pop's mine!" she told them, grinning.

"Have you approved this with Herr Wright?" Klavier asked, folding his arms.

"You guys are adults; you can drink if you want to." Trucy protested.

"I meant the sugar."

"…um…"

Klavier shrugged. "Well, it's not like I have to put up with you." He grinned.

Trucy beamed at him. "Yeah, you're right. So, we're okay then? I can drink it?"  
"It's not up to me, fraulein."

Trucy glanced at Apollo, who just shrugged, looking resigned. He reached out to take a drink from the table, only to have his hand slapped away by an irate Trucy. "No, Apollo. These are yours. Those are mine."

"Thanks, Trucy, but I don't drink." Apollo replied sighing and sitting down.

"I bet you do." Trucy replied.

"Do not."  
"Do."

"Do _not._"

"Well, I do." Klavier interrupted, picking up a glass and downing it. "Are you going to argue about this all night?"

Trucy and Apollo turned and replied affirmatively in unison.

* * *

It took precisely fve and a half minutes for Apollo to snap. "Fine! _Fine. _I'll take a drink. _One. _Will you shut up if I do?"

Trucy nodded, apparently pleased. "You need to drink it all though." She warned.

Klavier, who had been watching all this with a look of extreme amusement on his face, began to clap. "What a will of steel you have, Herr Forehead."

"…shut up." Apollo replied grumpily, accepting the offered glass.

Klavier held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "No need to get snappy, now." He said.

Apollo took a sip, and Trucy was suddenly at him again. "No, Polly! Down it! Down it like a _man!"_

"Trucy, I don't think being brought up by Mr Wright has been good for you…" Apollo muttered, before reluctantly obeying.

* * *

About an hour later, Apollo was completely and utterly blitzed out of his brains, and was venomously denying this fact.

"Hey, Polly?" Trucy said, her eyes sweeping the tableful of empty glasses. "Maybe you've had enough."

"I'm inclined to agree." Klavier noted. He, of course, had drunk at least as much as Apollo had. However, being the lead singer in a rock band from the age of seventeen had left him with a rather high alcohol tolerance level. "And while you're at it, fraulein, I think you've had enough sugar too."

"No!" Apollo interrupted. "No, no, no. I'm having _fun._ Don't be _mean._" His drunken attentions were diverted a minute later by the sound coming from the speakers that Trucy had wired up specifically for that night. "Ah! Turn it up! I love this song!" he said, grinning widely.

Trucy frowned. "No, Polly, no. You hate this song, remember? It's his song." She added, pointing at Klavier. "You don't like his music, silly!"

"Ja, silly is a good word for it." Klavier put in, laughing.

"Hm. It sounds _much_ betterer that it used to." Apollo commented.

"It's no different." Klavier said lightly.

"I think you're drunk, Apollo-lolo!" Trucy giggled.

"You sound it too, fraulein. I hope you've not been drinking out of the wrong glasses."

"Don't be silly, Klavier. I've just had a _lot_ of sugar."

"Ja, I noticed…"

It was an odd feeling, being the only (almost) sober one in the room, one which Klavier was hardly used to. Still, this was all quite amusing, so he wasn't going to make them put an end to it _quite _yet. Trucy and Apollo were now having a conversation between themselves, the wording of which caused him to double take.

"So." Trucy was saying. "When am I gonna be an auntie, Apollo?"

"…what was that, fraulein?" Klavier asked, but he was, predictably, ignored.

"Objection!" Apollo pointed at Trucy, frowning. "That's against the law!"

"No, it isn't!" Trucy replied.

"It is! Against the laws of bio….bloi…scie…scen…that thing Ema likes!" It was rather endearing, watching him trying to make a point when he couldn't even talk straight.

"You mean science, right?" Trucy asked.

"Yeah, that!"

"Dare I ask what you two are talking about?" Klavier asked.

"Well, I want to be an aunt." Trucy told him. "It's not fair that I should miss out because my brother likes men, is it?"

"Ah…" Klavier decided to go with his instincts and stay out of this. Or attempt to.

"Don't you want kids, Klavier?" Trucy pressed.

"It's never something I'd thought of, fraulein." Klavier replied with a slight laugh. "I wouldn't exactly say I was the parent type anyway, would you?"

"Yeah, but you could say the same thing about my Daddy." Trucy pointed out. "Both of them, actually."

Klavier shrugged. The girl had a point.

"I'm _bored._" Apollo whined from where he was sitting on the floor, taking another drink while he was at it.

"Well, let's play a game, then!" Trucy said brightly.

"Which game?" Klavier asked.

"Truth or dare, Klavier?"

Klavier snorted. This could turn out interesting. "Alright, fraulein, dare."

"I dare you to…umm…" Klavier could almost see the gears working behind the tophat as she tried to come up with something good. Not that anything she said could possibly faze him.

"Kiss Ema next time you see her!"

Except maybe that.

"He can't do that!" Apollo said in a hushed, horrified voice. "Ema will kill him!"

"Ja, and Herr Forehead will too, once he's sober enough to realise what's going on." Klavier added.

"You picked dare." Trucy reminded him.

Klavier shrugged. "Whatever." He replied. "My turn now, is it?"

"Yeah, you get to dare Apollo!" Trucy appeared to be making up her own rules as she went along, but since she usually did that anyway, it didn't really make much of a difference.

"Okay then…Herr Forehead, are you listening?"

"Uh-huh!"

"You're not allowed to drink anything else." Klavier said.

Apollo pouted. "You're such a _meanie, _Klavier Gavin." He protested.

Klavier laughed, not able to resist the urge to pat him on the head like a small child. "That's me." He agreed.

"Apollo, Apollo, you dare me now!" Trucy said.

"No more Snackoos for a week!" Apollo replied.

Trucy frowned. "That's not fair." She objected.

"Now, fraulein, if I have to do mine, you have to do yours." Klavier said lightly.

Trucy frowned deeper. "Oh, fine." She replied, sounding more than a little annoyed.

"Don't sulk." Klavier said, laughing at the expression on her face.

"Say, I just realised. Daddy's not here. Where'd he go?" Trucy demanded, glaring at Klavier as if he was concealing her father in his pocket.

"Herr Wright has his exam tomorrow, doesn't he?" Klavier asked. "I doubt he wants to go into it with a hangover, ja?"

"Is the exam hard?" Trucy questioned. "Daddy didn't seem to think it would be."

"I don't know." Apollo replied, frowning. "Why are you asking me?!_"_

"You sat it not long ago!" Trucy reminded him.

"Best not to question him, fraulein." Klavier interrupted. "He probably doesn't even remember it at this point."

"Hey!" Apollo said, glaring. "I'll have you know I'm a _very _good attorney at defending guilty people!"

A brief silence met those words, before Trucy spoke again. "I think you mean 'innocent', Polly."

"Is that a confession, Herr Forehead?" Klavier laughed.

"NO!" Apollo shouted angrily. He sounded close to tears, Klavier realised, and made a mental note that Apollo did not handle alcohol well at all. Not that he hadn't guessed that already. "No, no! I've confessed too much recently! You!" he pointed at Klavier. "You need to stop putting pressure on me!"

"Alright, alright!" Klavier said, holding his hands up. "Try to calm down a bit."

"The scary prosecutor tactics strike again!" Trucy commented.

"Calm down? You insulted me!" Apollo replied.

"Apollo…you're odd when you're drunk, you know that?" Trucy said.

"I'm not drunk! I've hardly had _anything._" Apollo replied.

"Objection!" Klavier put in.

"Overruled!" Apollo said.

"You're not Herr Judge." Klavier reminded him.

"If Apollo's going to be Mr Judgeman, I want to be Ema." Said Trucy.

"Ema? Where's Ema? Don't let her Snackoo me again!"

"Calm down, Herr Forehead. Fraulein Detective isn't here." Klavier interrupted the sudden stream of talking. "And no, fraulein, you can't."

Trucy didn't look pleased. "Why not?"

"Because I said so."

A noise cut short the argument they were about to have over this. "_Love, slow acting and new…atroquinine is waiting for you…_"

"Polly!" Trucy said, shocked. "You're singing! A Gavinner's song! Just how drunk _are _you?!"

"This is unusual." Klavier noted, sounding quite amused.

"I want to sing too! Look, Mommy taught me this one! _Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick. So she called for the doctor to come quick quick quick! The doctor came with his bag and his hat and he knocked on the door with a ratatatat!" _Trucy looked extremely proud for someone who had just recited a nursery rhyme.

"But I don't _have _a dolly!" Apollo objected.

"You have a bear, though." Klavier pointed out.

"No, I don't! I gave him to Gerri!" Apollo replied, and began to sniffle. "Mr Lawsykins…"

"Don't cry, Apollo." Trucy said.

"I'll buy you a dolly if you want." Klavier offered.

"Really?" At this, Apollo's face lit up. "A _red _dolly?"

"Ja, sure, why not?"

Apollo immediately threw his arms around Klavier in an expression of drunken gratitude. "I love you!" he said. Then, "And I'm thirsty…"

"Give him more alcohol!" Trucy piped up. "And let me try some too!"

"Nein." Klavier said firmly. "No alcohol for either of you. Even if it _does _get Herr Forehead to say things like that. In fact, I think we should call it a day, don't you? After all, Herr Wright should be home soon."

Trucy scowled, but had to agree. "Okay, party over." She said reluctantly. "Help me clean up a bit."

Apollo, who had another bottle in his hand which he had just emptied of liquid, showed no sign of having heard.

Klavier approached him, pulling the bottle out of him hand and pointing it at him. "Come on, Herr Forehead, you heard the fraulein."

Apollo blanched, his eyes going from Klavier's face to the bottle and back. Suddenly, he turned on his heel and ran out of the room, shouting behind him as he did so. "I'm sorry, Mr Gavin, I didn't mean to, but the truth is important!"

Silence, while both Klavier and Trucy tried to work out exactly what had happened, then understood at the same time.

Trucy had just about keeled over with laughter as she and Klavier went out to see if Apollo was alright – Klavier sensibly dropping the bottle first.

"It's okay, Herr Forehead." Klavier said gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Apollo, it's Klavier, not-" Trucy started to explain, but was cut off as Apollo started panicking again.

"Trucy! Klavier! You need to get out of there! He's a madman!"

Klavier hugged him, while Trucy just laughed harder, ignoring the glare he was giving her. "Shh, Herr Forehead. He's not there."  
"But I saw him! Didn't I?"

It was at that moment the front door opened and Phoenix walked in. "Saw what, Apollo?" he asked, sounding mildly curious. He then appeared to take in the scene in front of him. "Are you guys okay? Should I come back later?"

"You saw _me, _Herr Forehead. You're just drunk." Klavier continued as if there had been no interruption.

"Shh, Daddy, you'll scare him." Trucy scolded.

"Okay…if you're sure…" Apollo whimpered.

"I'm sure." Klavier replied.

"…exactly what did I miss?" Phoenix asked.

"Well," began Trucy, taking a deep breath. "One of us convinced Apollo to have a drink and then he went overboard and then we played dares and then Polly started singing and then we were tidying up and Klavier picked up a bottle and Polly got scared and ran away."

"One of us?" Klavier asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, okay, it was me." Trucy admitted.

"Ah, okay." Phoenix said, apparently understanding the situation. "I knew I shouldn't have left you to look after him. Don't worry, he'll recover eventually."

Apollo suddenly spoke again, sounding fearful. "Mr Wright…I might lose my badge! Am I going to be a hobo too? No! I don't want to!"

"Calm _down, _Herr Forehead. You aren't going to lose your badge."

"Really, Polly, I think you should go to bed." Trucy commented.

"I think Trucy's right, for what it's worth." Phoenix added, then appeared to lose interest and wandered off into the next room.

"Ja, come on, bedtime." Klavier agreed, helping Apollo to his feet.

Apollo did finally go to bed, but only after insisting that Klavier stay the night lest 'Mr Gavin' tried to kill him in his sleep.

All Klavier knew was that the poor man was going to have the worst headache ever when he woke up.

* * *

**Reviews are loved! Not that I deserve them, making you all wait like this…but they make me happy! And a happy writer updates quicker. ;D**


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